Florida Road bars warn of liquor bill job losses

Picture: Cindy Waxa

Picture: Cindy Waxa

Published Oct 14, 2016

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Durban - Liquor traders in Florida Road said the proposed liquor bill in its current form would lead to job losses and a total shut-down of the whole street liquor business.

The bill will see currently legal liquor outlets which are within 500m of schools, churches or recreational centres not having their licences renewed.

Murphy’s manager Grant Knowles described the bill as “ridiculous”.

“It does not make sense that the government wants to create jobs yet it is shutting down the jobs in liquor trading.

“Here we have students who work part time to raise money to pay for their studies, stationery, meals or other necessities.

“Shutting down liquor traders will create more disgruntled people,” he said.

Knowles said that if the students who worked part time as kitchen staff, bartenders and cleaners lost their income, they would be forced out of tertiary studies.

He said they employed about 50 people part time.

“While I understand the point concerning schools, what will churches benefit if we get liquor traders out of business by not renewing the licenses?” he asked.

Taco Zulu Mexican Grill and Bar’s Ray Tahwa concurred with Knowles.

“Maybe the churches are the ones that should be moved. We have clients who know where we are. If we move somewhere else, it will not be easy for people to reach where we would be.

“It is inconveniencing other people. When we move we will have to start marketing and tell people where we are, which would really affect us,” said Tahwa.

“Even some of the churchgoers go to church and come back to have a drink here,” he said.

The owner of Europa Restaurant, Mike Holland, said the liquor bill in its current form would affect virtually all liquor outlets in the province and needed to be challenged.

“If you are going to base the bill on the circumstances the next question becomes, what if the school, church or centre was built after the outlet? It is unfair,” he said.

The Mercury

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